WHEN IT AINT COOL TO BE FULL
MOSTparents love to show off their well fed bundles of joy and these kids with big round cheeks are usually considered so cuddly and cute. I am one of those who likes pinching those soft big cheeks, am sure most of you do too, who would resist those softies?
But just how far can those cheeks grow for them to still be considered cute or over cute? Today as we proceed with lets burn it series, I would like us to touch on the subject of childhood obesity :this is when a child is so fat that the weight becomes a ticking time bomb. This is “when it aint cool to be full”.
CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It usually signifies the start of the child’s path to a cascade of health problems that were once considered adult problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression. By the way this problem is not for “rich kids” only but affects even those from poor backgrounds.
Not all children carrying extra pounds are overweight. Some children have larger than average body frames. And children normally carry different amounts of body fat at the various stages of development. BMI s and ZD scores can guide. In our case weight plotting on the under 5 card can be very helpful, so please take your children for under 5 checkups..
CAUSES
*Lifestyle issues: Too little activity and too many calories from food and drinks — are the main contributors to childhood obesity.
*Even mothers weight and lifestyle during pregnancy does affect future weight of the unborn child. Please monitor your weight when pregnant.
*Genetic factors :Like Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) which is caused by a loss of function of specific genes on chromosome 15. In newborns, symptoms include weak muscles, poor feeding, and slow development. Beginning in childhood, those affected become constantly hungry, which often leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
* Hormonal factors: We covered this extensively and while at it, kindly allow me make a correction on a typo in the article entitled BMI VS
BMR .On thyroid hormones disorders : hypo and hypersecretion ,it was written that both would lead to weight gain, no it was supposed to have been that hypothyroidism leads to slow BMR which leads to weight gain while hyperthyroidism leads to fast BMR which leads to weight loss. Please kindly note this very important difference.
RISK FACTORS:
Among the many factors that increase your child's risk of becoming overweight are:
• Diet. Eating too much of high-calorie foods, such as fast foods, baked goodies. Candy and desserts also can cause weight gain so do sugary drinks, including fruit juices and sports drinks etc are culprits..
• Lack of exercise. Children who don't exercise much are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn as many calories. Too much time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching television or playing video games, also contributes to the problem. TV shows also often feature ads for unhealthy foods.
• Family factors. If your child comes from a family of overweight people, he or she may be more likely to put on weight. But remember “Genetics is the gun but lifestyle is what pulls the trigger”.
• Psychological factors. Personal, parental and family stress can increase a child's risk of obesity. Some children
April 2021 overeat to cope with problems or to deal with emotions, such as stress, or to fight boredom. Their parents might have similar tendencies.
• Socioeconomic factors. People in some communities have limited resources and limited access to supermarkets. As a result, they might buy convenience foods that don't spoil quickly, such as frozen meals, crackers and cookies. Sometimes kids from low income neighborhoods might not have access to a safe place to exercise.
• Certain medications. Some prescription drugs can increase the risk of developing obesity. They include prednisone, lithium, amitriptyline, paroxetine (Paxil), gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant) and propranolol (Inderal, Hemangeol).While drugs like Metformin may do the opposite.
COMPLICATIONS
Childhood obesity often causes complications in a child's physical, social and emotional well-being.
PHYSICAL COMPLICATIONS
These may include:
• Type 2 diabetes. This chronic condition affects the way your child's body uses sugar (glucose). Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• High cholesterol and high blood pressure. A poor diet can cause your child to develop one or both of these conditions. These factors can contribute to the buildup of plaques in the arteries, which can cause arteries to narrow and harden, possibly leading to a heart attack or stroke later in life.
• Joint pain. Extra weight causes extra stress on hips and knees. Childhood obesity can cause pain and sometimes injuries in the hips, knees and back.
• Breathing problems. Asthma is more common in children who are overweight. These children are also more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which a child's breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This disorder, which usually causes no symptoms, causes fatty deposits to build up in the liver. NAFLD can lead to scarring and liver damage.
• Challenges if they get covid 19.Will share an Article of how The P1 Brazilian Variant is causing havoc among younger people, who are now filling up the ICUs.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPLICATIONS:
Children who have obesity may experience teasing or bullying by their peers. This can result in a loss of self-esteem and an increased risk of depression and anxiety. This was the case with Ricky Naputi the “man who ate himself to death”: He was teased for his weight when he was a teenager which led to depression ,social withdraw with the only friend and solace being Food. More food led to more weight repeating the cycle time without end until time ended for him on m
PREVENTION
To help prevent excess weight gain in your child, you can:
• Set a good example. Make healthy eating and regular physical activity a family affair. Everyone will benefit and no one will feel singled out.
•Give healthy snacks. Options include air-popped popcorn without butter, fruits , or whole-grain cereal, like slices of brown bread.
•Choose nonfood rewards. Promising candy for good behavior is a bad idea.
•Ensure your child gets enough sleep. Some studies indicate that too little sleep may increase the risk of obesity. Sleep deprivation can cause hormonal imbalances that lead to increased appetite.
They don’t necessarily need to be older even at a tender age they can start developing health problems as long as they are obese and if not corrected it may lead to an early death. One certain early death to avoid at the moment is by Covid 19 which obese children are very much at risk of getting and succumbing to.
UNTIL THEN ALUTA CONTINUA,THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES,PLEASE *MASSK UP
*OBSERVE HAND HYGIENE *SOCIALISE WISELY
AND BECAUSE YOU CARE,PLEASE SHARE.